title: Phenotypical and morphological changes in the thymic microenvironment from ageing mice.
abstract: The thymus is crucial for T-cell output and the age-associated involution of this organ, is thought to have a major impact in the decline in immunity that is seen in later life. The mechanism that underlines thymic involution is not known, however, we have evidence to suggest that this is may be due to changes in the thymic microenvironment. To further test this hypothesis, we quantified the in situ changes to markers that identify cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells. This analysis revealed an age-dependent decline in cortical and medullary markers together with an increase in Notch and Delta expression, in older mice, as judged by immunohistochemistry. This was accompanied by alterations of the archetypal staining patterns and three dimensional analysis revealed changes in the morphology of the thymic microenvironment. These studies suggest that there are age-associated alterations in the thymic microenvironment, which may therefore play a role in thymic involution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Basic Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, NW1 0TU, UK.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aw
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taylor-Brown
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Donald B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D048430:Cell Shape; D048429:Cell Size; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D010641:Phenotype; D051881:Receptor, Notch1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; C093569:DEC-205 receptor; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; C497762:Notch1 protein, mouse; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C064045:delta protein; D007633:Keratins